Mr' Perez

1
Mr. Perez

• Grade 6 Science
• Ecology Unit

2
Producers

• A producer is an organism that uses energy from
  the sun to make its own food
• Plants and certain microorganisms (volvox,
  diatoms, algae, etc.) capture sunlight and use it
  as a food source through the process of
  photosynthesis
• Producers are the source of all food in an
  ecosystem
• On land, the main producers are plants
• In lakes and oceans, the main producer is algae

3

• The green plants and trees on land surrounding
  this pond are producers. The euglena (A) and
  algae (B) are microscopic organisms that are
  producers found in the water.

4
Consumers

• A consumer is an organism that cannot make its
  own food.
• It MUST feed on plants or prey on other organisms
  to get energy
• People, animals, and insects are consumers
• Ex A lion eating a zebra
• Ex A human eating vegetables
• Ex A bear eating salmon
• Ex A fish eating algae

5
Types of Consumers

• A primary consumer is an organism that eats
  producers. Ex A rabbit eating grass
• A secondary consumer is an organism that eats
  primary consumers. Ex A weasel eating a rabbit
• Tertiary, or third level consumers, are organisms
  that eat secondary consumers. Ex A hawk
  eating a weasel
• When can a hawk be a secondary consumer?
• If it eats a rabbit (primary consumer)

6
Decomposer

• A decomposer is an organism that gets its food by
  breaking down dead, organic material
• Earthworms break down plants and nutrients in the
  soil
• Bacteria break down meat or waste from other
  organisms
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria create nitrogen
  compounds that are needed for plants to live
• Certain fungi (molds and mushrooms) break down
  fruits and vegetables
• Scavengers are animals that find dead animals or
  plants and eat them. While they eat them, they
  break them into small bits. Ex Flies, wasps,
  and cockroaches

7
Herbivores

• A herbivore is an animal that eats plants (or
  parts of plants) including grass, leaves, roots,
  seeds, and fruit
• Ex deer, cows, sheep, mice, squirrels, some
  fish, many insects, etc.
• Herbivores are usually primary consumers on a
  food chain. Why?
• Because they eat producers.

8
Carnivores

• A carnivore is an animal that only eats other
  animals or the remains of other animals
• These animals include wolves, coyotes, mountain
  lions, lynx, bobcats, red-tailed hawks, etc.
• They hunt and kill their prey
• Ex A lion eats a hyena
• Ex A coyote eats a rabbit
• Why dont carnivores need to eat as often as
  producers?
• Animal flesh supplies more energy than plants do

9
Omnivores

• An omnivore is an animal that eats plants AND
  animals (or animal flesh)
• Humans, bears, raccoons, chickens, robins,
  cockroaches, cardinal fish, etc.
• Animals that eat grass or fruit and eggs from
  other animals are omnivores
• Omnivores can be primary consumers, secondary
  consumers, or tertiary consumers

10
Predator Prey Relationships

• The predator is the animal that hunts and kills
  other animals to get food
• The prey is the animal that is hunted and killed
  by other animals for food
• Ex A salmon (predator) eats a herring (prey)
• Ex A shark (predator) eats a seal (prey)
• Ex A lion (predator) eats a hyena (prey)
• Ex A snake (predator) eats a mouse (prey)
• Ex A mongoose (predator) eats a snake (prey)
• Producers ARE NOT prey

11
This illustration shows the energy pyramid for
this ecosystem. Can you identify the producers,
consumers, decomposers, herbivores, omnivores,
and carnivores? How many predator-prey
relationships can you find?
12
Predator Prey Relationships

• Prey

• Predator

• Bear

• Salmon

13
Predator Prey Relationships

• Prey

• Predator

• Fox

• Rabbit

14
Predator Prey Relationships

• Prey

• Predator

• Snake

• Mouse

15
Predator Prey Relationships

• Prey

• Predator

• Mongoose

• Snake

16
Predator Prey Relationships

• Prey

• Predator

• Salamander

• Worm